882 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



dry. As soon as firm enough, cut it with a spade into squares of seven or eight inches; set 

 them on edge, and turn them occasionally to facilitate their drying. When they will admit 

 of being handled with safety, cut with a knife two or three holes, about two inches in 

 diameter, little more than half through the brick, and fill each hole with good spawn, which 

 can be obtained of almost any seedsman, .plastering it over with a portion of what was cut 

 out. They should now be left until quite dry. Have ready a quantity of fermenting 

 manure, which has been well sweetened by frequent turnings. Spread a layer of this six 

 or eight inches in thickness, and build the bricks on it with the spawned side uppermost, 

 drawing the pile up to a point; then cover the whole with warm manure. A genial warmth 

 of about sixty degrees will be sufficient to cause the spawn to run through the whole of the 

 bricks. When this takes place, the process is ended. The brick can be laid aside in a dry 

 place, and the spawn in them will keep good for years.&quot; 



Mustard plants are frequently used as a small salad, and for &quot;greens,&quot; which are 

 excellent, as well as for the seed. The varieties are the BLACK or BBOWN, WHITE, and 

 CHINESE. Sow thickly in shallow drills, eight inches apart, early in the spring, when grown 

 for salad or &quot;greens.&quot; When grown for seed, see directions for field culture of this crop in 

 VOL. I. 



Nasturtium or Indian Cress. There are two varieties of this plant, the tall and 

 the dwarf. It is cultivated both for use and ornament. The seed pods and foot stalks are 

 gathered when green, and pickled in vinegar, and the leaves for mixing with salads. The 

 flowers are of a beautiful orange color. The seeds should be sown in drills about an inch 

 deep, in light, rich soil. The tall variety may be trimmed on brush, trellises, or fences, and 

 the dwarf in beds, for which they make a beautiful ornamental border. 



Okra or Gonibo. The young green capsules or pods of this plant are used for 

 seasoning soups, stews, etc., to which they impart a rich flavor. The seeds should be sown in 

 rich soil, as soon as the ground has become sufficiently warm, in hills or drills three feet 

 apart. Thin the plants to three in a hill, or ten inches apart in the drills. The seeds should 

 be planted rather thickly, as they are liable to rot in the ground. Cover an. inch deep, and 

 hoe frequently, bringing the earth up towards the plant to support the stems. The young 

 pods can be gathered and dried for winter use, and the ripe seeds are sometimes used as a 

 substitute for coffee. 



Onions. See directions for this crop in Vol. I, department of ROOTS AND ESCULENT 

 TUBERS. 



Parsley. The leaves of this plant are used principally for garnishing dishes of meat 

 for the table, and for seasoning soups. Among the different varieties most cultivated are the 

 DOUBLE CURLED, DWARF CURLED, Moss, and FERN LEAVED. If the seeds are soaked in warm 

 water for twenty-four hours before sowing, it will hasten germination, as they are quite slow 

 in this respect, and do not appear above ground frequently in three or four weeks. A rich, 

 mellow soil is preferred for the cultivation of this plant. Sow early in April in rows one foot 

 apart, and cover half an inch deep. Thin out the plants six inches apart in the rows, and 

 keep free from weeds. Water in dry weather. To have parsley green during winter, take 

 up the plants carefully with plenty of soil about the roots, and place in a light cellar, treating 

 the same as in open culture. 



Parsnips. See the same in the department of ROOTS AND ESCULENT TUBERS. 



Pease. No farm garden is complete without a good supply of pease, they being one 

 of &quot;the most delicious, as well as nutritious, of garden vegetables. The early kinds should be 

 first planted as soon in the spring as the ground will admit, and a succession of some later 

 varieties every two weeks, in order to have a constant supply. The early kinds are not as 



